This invention relates to a light producing device comprising a flexible elongated tube, and more particularly to a device comprising a flexible tube which produces visible light and can be readily bent to form various shapes, and moved while emitting light.
The use of neon-filled glass tubes for producing light in advertising displays and other applications is well known. Although neon lighting installations can give the impression of movement by the sequential activation of adjacent tubes, the glass tubes are inherently rigid and incapable of movement.
Attempts to devise flexible lighting devices which might be otherwise similar to neon-filled glass tube systems have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,644,113 to Etzkorn, U.S. Pat. No. 2,064,354 to Prouty, and elsewhere. Such devices, although achieving some measure of flexibility, involve complex multi-component light-producing structures, and have required modes of electrical activation which either restrain the ultimate mobility of the system or require high energy consumption.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a flexible elongated light-producing tube of simple construction capable of operation by an electrical supply which imposes minimal restraint upon the movement of said tube.
It is another object of this invention to provide a tube of the aforementioned nature operated by an electrical supply in a manner to require relatively little energy consumption.
These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.